Robots who code, apps that create scent and more

Our CEO, Dave Mandelbrot had a really excellent interview with Fast Company where he discussed the many ways in which Indiegogo is going beyond crowdfunding to help entrepreneurs. Our intent is to help entrepreneurs “not just raise money, but also help them with manufacturing, design, retail. Equity crowdfunding was a very natural extension of that strategy.” Last week we also closed our first batch of equity crowdfunding campaigns. They all reached their goals and they collectively raised $1.4M. That’s $1.4M from backers who are getting to share all of the ups and downs of these entrepreneurs’ journeys.

Tech

I am excited to announce that there is “Finally, A Way To Control Your Home’s Scent Remotely“, because I know this is something you’ve all been dreaming of. But I won’t lie, it does stink to walk into a smelly home. With Moodoo, you can create “scent scenes” (you didn’t know about those?) from your smartphone to walk into after a long hard day at work.

We all wish we composted, especially because 30-40% of food in the United States gets wasted. But if you even have compost, it’s hard to keep up the habit because of the fruit flies, smell, and even maggots if you really commit and compost meat. Our friends at Whirlpool’s WLabs have solved this problem with the Zera Food Recycler, which transforms food waste into fertilizer in 24 hours. That fertilizer can be used to grow your own micronutrient-rich produce and assuage your guilt over killing the earth.

Film

Things are not slowing down after our incredibly successful first two months of equity crowdfunding. We just launched our second batch, which included a very spooky and very scary film called the “Field Guide to Evil”. It’s the second in a horror anthology that started with “The ABCs of Death” in which eight directors will cinematize (boy do I wish that was a real word) the terrifying folktales that get passed down for generations. It sounds very cool, but I can assure you that I won’t be seeing it because I value my sleep.

Where are they now?

If you’re still stuck on the health benefits of kale, you are way behind the times. Our favorite superfood fanatics at Kuli Kuli have raised $4.5M in Series A funding to bring moringa (more protein than quinoa, more nutrients than kale!) to more people in the United States. After two successful Indiegogo campaigns for an energy shot and a bar, Kuli Kuli products are now sold in an impressive 3,000 stores. With this funding they will not only be able to expand access to the health benefits of the morgina plant, but they will also be creating more jobs for female moringa farmers in Africa and the Caribbean. Wins across the board.